Opinion 2013 Best 22

[76woodenspooners]

I'd add Fasolo, Toovey and Blair as locks.

Fasolo has only been in the system for two years although it seems so much longer. Sure, he's got his faults as all young players have, but he's had stratospheric development. For him to lose his spot, it will be either to a younger player (hard to see anybody overtaking Fas in development) or to Macaffer (has hardly played for two years - it'd be a very brave man to bet on it). And even then, there's room for Fas and Caff and Krak in the same forward line.

Toovey is the kind of player who gets noticed most when he's not playing - and he doesn't miss too many games.

I think Blair's inside game is essential to us, even with Ball back in the team. We need to win more contested footy. Who would displace Blair? JT? Blair has done everything right over the last two and a half seasons and I just can't see him being displaced, especially by a player who is yet to have a consistent and injury free season in the VFL.

 

[gifted1]

I'd add Fasolo, Toovey and Blair as locks.

Fasolo has only been in the system for two years although it seems so much longer. Sure, he's got his faults as all young players have, but he's had stratospheric development. For him to lose his spot, it will be either to a younger player (hard to see anybody overtaking Fas in development) or to Macaffer (has hardly played for two years - it'd be a very brave man to bet on it). And even then, there's room for Fas and Caff and Krak in the same forward line.

Toovey is the kind of player who gets noticed most when he's not playing - and he doesn't miss too many games.

I think Blair's inside game is essential to us, even with Ball back in the team. We need to win more contested footy. Who would displace Blair? JT? Blair has done everything right over the last two and a half seasons and I just can't see him being displaced, especially by a player who is yet to have a consistent and injury free season in the VFL.

Imo there is no way you could consider those players locks
They all have many flaws
When has Blair contributed when it matters at finals time
Toovey great lock down but flawed with ball in hand
Fasolo a talent but again no way a lock his form could go either way

 

[noideaatall]

Fasolo is a lock, should be his best year for the club thus far. Tooves is a lock until something better comes along - potential there but I don't see it coming through until next year. Blair ditto, though depending on the roles given to different players he may find himself surpassed this year. That is, unless he can find some improvement but I don't see that happening.

OP has pretty much my best 22 at this stage. Which unfortunately I don't see as good enough. Hoping for some breakout years from some of the up'n'comers and some better form from Daisy & Pendles.

 

[jonbe54]

Fasolo is a lock, should be his best year for the club thus far. Tooves is a lock until something better comes along - potential there but I don't see it coming through until next year. Blair ditto, though depending on the roles given to different players he may find himself surpassed this year. That is, unless he can find some improvement but I don't see that happening.

OP has pretty much my best 22 at this stage. Which unfortunately I don't see as good enough. Hoping for some breakout years from some of the up'n'comers and some better form from Daisy & Pendles.

Penders in particular should be a virtual lock in for strong improvement after last year considering he was cut down with a serious injury during the mid season, hard to get back to your best quickly in those circs.

 

[loki04]

Imo there is no way you could consider those players locks
They all have many flaws
When has Blair contributed when it matters at finals time
Toovey great lock down but flawed with ball in hand
Fasolo a talent but again no way a lock his form could go either way

Toovey is a lock and his disposal has improved now he mainly does the safe options most the time, still prone to the odd turn over but no more then Heater, O'brien et al.

Tooves has become a very very dependable lock down player with very good pace 2 things we lack in the team in general, our best BP option and probably our best option to tag with.

 

[Gone Critical]

O'Brien Brown Toovey
Maxwell Reid Shaw
Sidebottom Ball D Thomas
Beames Cloke Didak
Krakouer Lynch Fasalo
Goldsack Blair Young Johnson

Thomas and Young may miss for injury reasons at the start of the season. I feel some are looking to replace the likes of Blair, Toovey, Harry and Maxwell very prematurely. These guys are locks unless they drop off unexpectedly. Blair was added to the leadership group late in 2012 which for me says a lot aout his internal rating

 

[Obese Arachnid]

O'Brien Brown Toovey
Maxwell Reid Shaw
Sidebottom Ball D Thomas
Beames Cloke Didak
Krakouer Lynch Fasalo
Goldsack Blair Young Johnson

Thomas and Young may miss for injury reasons at the start of the season. I feel some are looking to replace the likes of Blair, Toovey, Harry and Maxwell very prematurely. These guys are locks unless they drop off unexpectedly. Blair was added to the leadership group late in 2012 which for me says a lot aout his internal rating

That team will get slaughtered. No Rucks & only 19 players!

 

[neilk]

That team will get slaughtered. No Rucks & only 19 players!

I think he forgot to add a few strugglers:
Jolly-Swan-Pendlebury!

 

[Obese Arachnid]

I think he forgot to add a few strugglers:
Jolly-Swan-Pendlebury!

Yep, just taking the mickey.

 

[CasuallyDressed]

B: Toovey/Johnson/Williams - Brown/Keeffe - O'Brian
HB: Maxwell/Russell - Reid - Shaw
M: Beams - Ball - Young
HF: Goldsack/Fasolo - Cloke - Sidebottom
F: Thomas - Lynch/Paine - Krakouer
R: Jolly/Grundy - Swan - Pendlebury

Int: Elliot/Sinclair/Kennedy - Blair - Goldsack/Fasolo
Sub: Didak/Maccaffer/Kennedy

Players with another players next to them are people I consider direct replacements other than the Goldsack/Fasolo one also players who could push the other out of position due to form.

 

[carnthepies19]

IMO Russell is 99% a lock in for round 1 - barring any injuries to himself. The way Bucks is raving about his preseason speaks for itself. It would surprise me if he wasnt in.

 

[Pendles!]

I reckon Fasolo is just about the lockiest of locks behind our A+ grade bunch..

 

[noideaatall]

B: Toovey/Johnson/Williams - Brown/Keeffe - O'Brian
HB: Maxwell/Russell - Reid - Shaw
M: Beams - Ball - Young
HF: Goldsack/Fasolo - Cloke - Sidebottom
F: Thomas - Lynch/Paine - Krakouer
R: Jolly/Grundy - Swan - Pendlebury

Int: Elliot/Sinclair/Kennedy - Blair - Goldsack/Fasolo
Sub: Didak/Maccaffer/Kennedy

Players with another players next to them are people I consider direct replacements other than the Goldsack/Fasolo one also players who could push the other out of position due to form.

Gunna go out on a limb here and predict paine's not going to ruck, 2nd or otherwise, in my lifetime. Grundy won't replace Jolly til I've hit the half centuary either.

 

[bradrowe#32]

B: Young - Brown - Maxwell
HB: Shaw - Reid - O'Brien
C: Thomas - Swan - Sidebottom
HF: Fasolo - Cloke - Beams
F: Krakouer - Lynch - Didak
R: Jolly - Pendlebury - Ball
Int: Blair - Goldsack - Grundy
Sub: Johnson

 

[Jelly Bean]

B: Russell, Brown, Toovey
HB: Maxwell, Reid, O'Brien
C: Swan, Ball, Shaw
HF: Thomas, Cloke, Fasolo
F: Goldsack, Lynch, Krakouer
Fol: Jolly, Pendles, Beams
Int: Sidebottom, Young, Blair, Didak

B: Hartley, Frost, Williams
HB: Clarke, Keefe, Johnson
C: Seedsman, Martin, Mooney
HF: Broomhead, Gault. Kennedy
F: Paine, Witts, Sinclair
Fol: Grundy, Dwyer, J Thomas
Int: Oxley, Ramsay, Hudson, Richmond

 

[Pleasedontfail11]

I stole this from my post in a main board collingwood thread. This is who I think the best 22 would be for next year if they were all fit and firing however there is no way the Maxy wouldnt be in the team early next year but in my opinion in terms of talent he would just be out of the best 22.

B: Toovey Brown OBrien
HB Reid, Keefe, Shaw
C: Thomas Pendlebury Beams
HF: Goldsack, Lynch, Didak
F: Swan, Cloke, Krakouer
Followers: Jolly, Ball, Sidebottom,
Interchange Blair, Johnson, Young, sub Fasolo

Reid to kick in and do the loose maxwell roll. Didak, Krakouer, Johnson, Blair, OBrien and Fasolo might not be the current best players but at their best they are more skillful and better then any others we have. They could easily be replaced by 10 other players. Keefe wont make the side for a few early rounds at least due to injury. So Maxwell will replace him for now but his days may be numbered because of age.

 

[gifted1]

I was using the lock concept as players u could guarantee will be in the top side come ear end, I say there are only 12 of those at the most.....a lot of water to go under the bridge until September
Absolutely no way blokes like fas Russell toovey Blair etc are in our top dozen
There is potential these blokes won't be in the team at the end of the year
No way can u lock them in
Imo these blokes are locks
The captain maxy
Pendles
Swanny
Daisy
Cloke
Reid
Jolly
Beams
Ball
Shaw
Sidey

The rest, well there are some highly probables like lynch obrien toovey etc but in my opinion even those guys are not year end locks

 

[PepperFace]

Toovey has to be a lock. I know his kicking is still questionable.....but we have no one else down back to play on speedy forwards. Harry has been found out......so Toovey is certainly a lock for mine

 

[captain peanut]

doesn't seem to be much love for benny sinclair around. he was pretty good until injuring his ankle mid season. should only improve, would be surprised if he's not in the 22 early doors at least

 

[PepperFace]

^^^^^^^ good call on Sinclair. I didn't rate him at the start of the season but he really impressed me with his one percenters. If he was a better finisher everyone would be excited by him. Hopefully he improves his kicking and becomes a regular

 

[cheesedogg]

Can't believe how underrated Toovey is in this thread.

There's a reason that other than the handful missed through injury he has played every single game in the past 4 years. And it's not because we don't have other options.

Far out, 22 players on a field don't have to be like Pendlebury with ball in hand to do their coach assigned job exceptionally week after week.

 

[Bianconerri]

B: Russell, Brown, Toovey
HB: Maxwell, Reid, O'Brien
C: Swan, Ball, Shaw
HF: Thomas, Cloke, Fasolo
F: Goldsack, Lynch, Krakouer
Fol: Jolly, Pendles, Beams
Int: Sidebottom, Young, Blair, Didak

B: Hartley, Frost, Williams
HB: Clarke, Keefe, Johnson
C: Seedsman, Martin, Mooney
HF: Broomhead, Gault. Kennedy
F: Paine, Witts, Sinclair
Fol: Grundy, Dwyer, J Thomas
Int: Oxley, Ramsay, Hudson, Richmond

Macaffer is still on the list

 

[SchuPie]

B: Russell, Brown, Toovey
HB: Maxwell, Reid, O'Brien
C: Swan, Ball, Shaw
HF: Thomas, Cloke, Fasolo
F: Goldsack, Lynch, Krakouer
Fol: Jolly, Pendles, Beams
Int: Sidebottom, Young, Blair, Didak

B: Hartley, Frost, Williams
HB: Clarke, Keefe, Johnson
C: Seedsman, Martin, Mooney
HF: Broomhead, Gault. Kennedy
F: Paine, Witts, Sinclair
Fol: Grundy, Dwyer, J Thomas
Int: Oxley, Ramsay, Hudson, Richmond

Mine is similar. Also someone (or more) from VFL steps up to go past others that we think are a lock in the seniors at this stage

So rapt that picking the side is difficult!
Senior
B: Russell/Young, Keeffe (when fully recovered), Toovey
HB: Maxwell, Reid, O'Brien
C: Thomas, Ball, Seedsman
HF: Swan, Cloke, Fasolo
F: Goldsack, Lynch, Krakouer
Fol: Jolly, Pendles, Beams
Int: Sidebottom, Shaw, Blair, Didak

VFL
B: Hartley, Frost, Williams
HB: Clarke, Brown, Johnson
C: Young/Russell, Martin, Mooney
HF: Broomhead, Gault. Sinclair
F: Paine, Witts, Kennedy
Fol: Grundy, Dwyer, J Thomas
Int: Oxley, Ramsay, Hudson, Richmond

 

[SchuPie]

Macaffer is still on the list

Good point - damn, i'd like him in the 1s.

 

[lozza63]

My main concern with this group is that many have been to the summit - do we still have the hunger to really push into the top 2 or 3.

In 2010 from mid year we were focused, in sync and extremely physical at the contest - young guys such as Macaffer, Dawes, Blair, Wellers, Sidey and Beamer were making a difference.

In 2011 we had the aura of a club which could just walk out and expect to win - i felt we started to show less intensity and played more with talent.

Last year - yeah we had injuries - but guys were aging - Dids and Johnno, our depth was tested and ultimately the class of 2012 did not match the class of 2010 - we lost too many games by significant margins.

This year Bucks is reported to have said we were vulnerable last year - my concerns with this team lay in our inability to challenge the top 2 clubs - what will cause this to change this year?

My best 22 reflects our need for us to lead the way re: physical presence and and high level intensity.

Thus guys such as Didak and Johnson would be under huge pressure as i believe we need the young guys to pick up where they left off.

Backs - O'Brien Brown Maxwell

H/Backs - Shaw Reid Toovey

Centres - D. Thomas* Ball* Young*

H/Forwards - Swan Lynch Fasolo

Forwards - Krakouer Cloke Sidebottom

Rucks - Jolly Pendlebury Beams

I/C - Blair Macaffer* Goldsack

sub - Didak*

* - assumes player is fully fit

I believe that guys like Russell, J Thomas, Keeffe, Grundy, Kennedy, Elliott and Johnson will all get their chances also.

In relation to Sinclair - he is well down my list at present - simply isnt yet accomplished or bulky enough at this level.

But what i really want is for the Collingwood team to be right up there with Sydney in tackles, contested possession and the like - injuries or not!